Apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed mass

ABSTRACT

A method of, and apparatus for making hard, dense, vitreous molasses-based animal feed supplement masses, the method comprising heating a molasses composition to a temperature within the range of about 240° F. to about 285° F. to remove all of the water content of the molasses that is necessary to form the desired vitreous masses. A portion of the heating process may be accompanied by an injection of ambient air into the molasses composition being heated. Immediately after heating, the molasses composition is cooled, agitated and de-aerated by directing the molasses composition through a cooler and de-aerator including a conduit in which is positioned an offset beater shaft assembly adapted to separate portions of the composition from the remainder thereof while directing cooling air through the conduit about said portions. After cooling, other animal feed supplements may be mixed with the molasses composition by a utilization of a variable pitch ribbon mixer-auger, further cooled, containerized, and allowed to cure into hard, dense, vitreous masses.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 797,255, filedNov. 12, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,377.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for making amolasses-based animal feed supplement mass of the type heretofore calleda block wherein molasses may be mixed with other animal feed supplementsand formed into a dense, non-porous, vitreous mass.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore high energy feed supplements have been used extensively forcattle, hogs, sheep and the like, such supplements conventionally beingin particulate or liquid forms and comprising fat, urea, vitaminsminerals, pharmaceuticals and the like. More recently, such supplementshave been available mixed with molasses and formed into a hard, dense,non-porous, vitreous mass, sometimes termed, or mistermed, a "block". Inthe latter regard, the term "block" is presently thought to beinappropriate because it implies a solid, and such "blocks[ do notexhibit all the characteristics of conventional solids. Although it istrue that a properly formed block of such feed supplement will shatterlike glass when struck, such blocks exhibit other characteristics thatare not like conventional solids. For example, if a solid object of anysubstantial weight is placed on the top of even a properly formednon-porous vitreous block, in a relatively short period of time, theobject will sink completely into, and be encased by, the block withoutany apparent softening of the block. In this light, and in light ofother similar examples indicating block material flowage, such blocksmight more appropriately be called extremely viscous fluids, oralternately called hydroscopic gels transiently in a crystaline form.Nevertheless, for consistency with the prior art and economy ofdescription, the term "block" will sometimes be used herein.

Hard, dense, non-porous vitreous molasses-based animal feed supplementblocks have met with substantial commercial acceptance because suchblocks are convenient to handle as compared to particulate or liquidforms of feed supplement. Additionally and importantly, these blocks areespecially convenient to feed by virtue of the hygroscopiccharacteristic of molasses blocks whereby only the surface of a properlyformed block is softened from a glass-like state to an edible conditionupon continued exposure to moist air. Because of this characteristic,the contents of such blocks become only incrementally available as feed,at a predictable rate, thereby inhibiting over feeding.

A method of making such molasses-based animal feed supplement vitreousblocks is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,081 to McKenzie whereinit is presented that to form dense molasses blocks, the water content ofthe molasses has to be reduced to less than 5%. The McKenzie methodbasically comprises a preliminary step of heating a composition ofmolasses mixed with other animal feed supplements to a temperaturewithin the range of 225° F. to 300° F. to partially reduce the watercontent of the molasses so that the remainder thereof is 5% or greater.Since molasses of the type utilized by McKenzie is normally comprised ofabout 20% to 25% water content, such water content reduction amounts toremoval of not more than 75% to 80% of the molasses water content. Ofparticular significance is the fact that McKenzie discloses therequirement that after heating, the composition is then subjected to asubstantial vacuum to further substantially reduce the remaining watercontent of the molasses to about 3% prior to forming the compositioninto blocks. After formation the blocks are allowed to cool and cure atambient conditions until hardened into a dense vitreous form. While thisMcKenzie patent method has met with some success in forming vitreousmolasses blocks, it is important that during the heating stage of thismethod, care must be taken to avoid development of hot spots in thecomposition, as well as to avoid any substantial expansion and foaming.Such hot spots are considered undesirable because they may damage orburn the molasses or other more heat-sensitive additives therebylowering the quality of the resultant product. Substantial expansion,which may occur to the extent of as much as 600%, and foaming areconsidered undesirable because such interferes with the physicalhandling of the molasses during processing, reduces production, and,unless controlled, also reduces the density of the resulting blocks.Reduced block density results in premature and internal block softening.Additionally, the McKenzie method requires machinery for the practicethereof, particularly the application of vacuum to the composition todehydrate the same, that is relatively complicated, extensive and energyintensive and production from such machinery is not as great as might bedesired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages andshortcomings of the prior art and is embodied in a method of andapparatus for making a hard, dense, vitreous molasses-based animal feedsupplement block or mass, the method comprising heating a molassescomposition to a temperature within the range of about 240° F. to about285° F. to remove all of the water content of the molasses that is to beremoved therefrom, and immediately rapidly cooling, agitating andde-aerating the compositon at ambient pressure to reduce the temperatureof the composition to at least 200° F. and to remove air entrainedtherein that might otherwise effect block density. The composition maythen be mixed with other supplements, further cooled, placed into opencontainers, and allowed to cool to ambient temperature and cure to anextremely hard, non-porous, dense, vitreous mass. It has been found thatheating to remove all the water that is to be removed and then rapidcooling and de-aerating the molasses obviates any necessity, as allegedby McKenzie, for the application of vacuum to remove the finalincrements of water from the composition, all such undesirable watercontent having been removed during the heating step of the instantmethod. Elimination of the need for any vacuum processing to removewater content provides substantial economies in energy conservation andmachinery cost and increases production therefrom without adverselyaffecting the quality of the resultant product.

To better avoid hot spots developing in the molasses during theheating-evaporation process that may damage the composition, to assistand accelerate the evaporation process by breaking the surface tensionof the molasses, and to avoid undesirable extreme expansion and foamingof the composition, the present invention further provides for injectingambient air into the composition throughout a substantial portion of theheating-water removal process while the molasses is still in arelatively thick condition. Such expansion and foaming have been foundto be undesirable not only because it interferes with the mechanics ofthe heating process but also because it results in less dense finalproduct. Blocks that are not sufficiently dense more quickly and moredeeply absorb water, quickly becoming a sticky glob inconvenient tohandle and impossible to feed at a controlled rate. However, it has beenfound that by injecting air at a multiplicity of locations evenlydispersed throughout the initial heating-evaporation step, the resultingproduct is substantially more dense. It is believed that the injectedair not only agitates and circulates the molasses being heated to avoiddevelopment of hot spot therein but also breaks the surface tension ofthe still thickened molasses thereby facilitating water removal byevaporation by inducing the passage of steam from the molasses into theatmosphere in an open tank wherein this initial heating-evaporation stepis performed instead of permitting such steam to well-up under thesurface of the thickened molasses.

After sufficient cooking to remove by evaporation all of the watercontent that is to be removed (which may be a reduction of the watercontent of the molasses to less than 5%) it is an important aspect ofthe present invention that the molasses composition is then rapidlycooled and de-aerated. This is achieved according to the presentinvention by utilization of an flail tube through which a substantialvolume of cooling air is directed while the molasses composition isbeaten, stretched, tossed, thrown about and conveyed through the flailtube having an offset shaft frail therein. Such extensive flailingaction is important not only because it aids in rapidly cooling thecomposition but also because it de-aerates the same resulting in a moredense final product.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide amethod of, and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feedsupplement block or mass that avoids the disadvantages and shortcomingsof the prior art.

More specifically, it is a principal object of the present invention toprovide a method of, and apparatus for making a molasses-based animalfeed supplement mass that is particularly and especially hard, dense,non-porous and vitreous in form.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a method byutilization of a molasses storage tank heater, a pre-heater, aheater-cooker-aerator, a final cooker, a flail cooler-de-aerator and amixer-auger avoiding the shortcomings of the prior art structures.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of,and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed supplementvitreous mass wherein means are provided to reduce or break the surfacetension of the molasses while it is being heated to aid in the passageof steam therefrom.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of,and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed supplementvitreous mass wherein air is injected into and dispersed throughout themolasses as it is initially cooked to evaporate the water contenttherefrom.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of,and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed supplementvitreous mass wherein, after removal of all the water content thereofnecessary for proper mass formation, the composition is rapidly cooledand de-aerated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of,and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed supplementvitreous mass wherein molasses in relatively pure form is heated toremove all of the water content thereof necessary to properly form avitreous mass, the molasses is then cooled, and subsequently, other feedsupplements are added and mixed with the molasses in an efficient mannerprior to forming a vitreous mass to thereby avoid any heat damage tosuch other supplements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a particularlyefficient and effective means for mixing molasses and other feedsupplements, or the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of,and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed supplementvitreous mass by cooking the molasses wherein any requirement is avoidedfor an application of a vacuum to the molasses composition to reduqe thewater content thereof, or for any other purpose.

It is a further object of tne present invention to provide a method of,and apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed supplementvitreous mass wherein the apparatus therefor is relatively simple andinexpensive, is energy efficient, and production therefrom is enhanced.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent after considering the following detailed specificationof a preferred embodiment of the present invention in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings forming a part of the disclosure hereofwherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for the practice of a methodof making a molasses-based animal feed supplement mass according to thepresent invention diagramatically illustrating the machinery therefor;

FIG. 1A is a schematic elevational view of the machinery diagramed inFIG. 1 shown as such machinery might be located in a plant housing thesame;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a simplified form of a cooker-aerator utilizedin the method diagramed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the cooker-aerator s in FIG. 2 andtaken along lines 3--3 therein;

FIG. 4 is another cross sectional view of the cooker-aerator shown inFIG. 2 but taken along lines 4--4 therein;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a final cooker-evaporatorutilized in the method diagramed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5A is a side view of one disk utilized in the finalcooker-evaporator shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 5B is an enlarged fragmentary schematic cross sectional view of aportion of the final cooker-evaporator shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a schematic fragmentary cross sectional view of a flail coolerand de-aerator utilized in the method diagramed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the flail cooler and de-aeratorshown in FIG. 6 taken along line 7--7 therein;

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view of a mixer-auger utilized inthe method diagramed in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a portion of themixer-auger shown n FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring in more detail to FIG. 1 of the drawings there isschematically and diagramatica11y illustrated therein apparatus for thepractice of a method of making a molasses-based animal feed supplementblock or mass wherein the resultant product is hard, dense, non-porousand vitreous. The method basically comprises tapping liquid molassesfrom a remote storage tank 10 through a tank outlet heater 11 whereinthe cold, thick molasses at the outlet is heated to about 80° F., so itwill more readily flow out of the storage tank 10. The molasses isdirected, preferably underground, through a preheater 12 wherein themolasses is heated to approximately 140° F. to further thin the same.The somewhat thinned molasses is directed to a plant or building 13(FIG. 1A) and pumped through an initial heater-cooker and aerator 14where n the molasses is heated and cooked to approximately 240° F. toremove by evaporation a substantial portion of the water content thereofand air is injected therein for purposes that subsequently will be morefully discussed. The molasses is then pumped through a finalheater-cooker 16 wherein the molasses is heated and cooked from atemperature of about 240° F. to between about 260° F. to 285° F. toremove most of the remaining water content thereof and all of the watercontent that it is necessary to remove to form the desired vitreousmass. The molasses is then moved by gravity through a flail-cooler andde-aerator assembly 18 wherein the molasses is rapidly cooled to atemperature of between about 180° F.-200° F. and forcefully agitated andthrown about to remove air entrained therein. The molasses then falls bygravity into a mixer-auger 20 preferably having a variable pitchabbreviated screw wherein dry feed supplements from a hopper 21, such asplant protein, roughage, fat, urea, vitamins, salt, other minerals,and/or pharmaceuticals or the like are mixed with the molasses andconveyed to a cooling tower 22. The temperature of the mixed compositionmay be further reduced in the cooling tower 22 or otherwise topreferably between about 140° F.-150° F. and not more than 170° F. andthe resultant product conveyed by a conveyor 24 to a containerizingstation 26 wherein the composition is containerized in any desired sizeand weight. The composition is then permitted to cool to ambienttemperature and cure to thereby form a hard, dense, non-porous vitreousmass. Of particular significance ro the present invention is the mannerin which the liquid molasses is cooked to remove the water contentthereof without the application of a vacuum thereto and rapidly cooledand de-aerated prior to the addition and mixing of other feedsupplements.

Referring in more detail to FIG. 1 of the drawings, liquid molasses ofany normally employed type, such as sugar cane molasses, having anynormally encountered specific gravity for raw molasses, such as a Brixnumber of from 80 to 100, flows by gravity from the storage tank 10through the tank outlet heater 11. No attempt is made to heat the entiremolasses content of the storage tank 10 but rather the gravity flowtherefrom is heated only as needed. Referring to FIG. 1A of thedrawings, the tank outlet heater 11 may be of any conventionalconstruction, such as an electric heater coil 30 positioned inside thetank 10 about the tank outlet conduit 32, an inner end 34 of whichprojects through the heater coil 30 and is adapted to receive gravityflow of molasses from the tank 10. An outer end 36 of the tank outletconduit 32, which may typically be a pipe of about 3 inches in diameter,is connected to the preheater 12. The preheated 12 is typically formedof a pipe 3 inches in diameter and comprises an outer conduit assembly37 including a first vertical outer conduit 38 connected at its upperend at a right angle by an elbow 40 to the outer end 36 of the outletconduit 32. The lower end of the vertical outer conduit 38 is connectedby a right angle elbow 42 to the left end of a horizontal outer conduit44 positioned below the surface of the ground 46 by a distance of about2 feet. The other end of the horizontal outer conduit 44 is connected bya right angle elbow 48 to the lower end of a second vertical outerconduit 50, the upper end of which is connected by a right angle elbow52 to a main molasses supply conduit 54 the other end of which isconnected to the initial heater-cooker and aerator 14. To heat themolasses to about 140° prior to passage into the heater-cooker andaerator 14, a heat source or steam generator or boiler assembly 60 isprovided. The steam boiler 60 includes a steam outlet conduit 62connected by a heat exchange medium delivery conduit 64, to an innerconduit assembly 65 positioned inside of the outer conduit assembly 37of the preheater 12. The heat exchange delivery conduit 64 is typicallya 3/4 inch diameter pipe and is connected to a like-sized pipe formingthe inner conduit assembly 65. The inner conduit assembly 65 is directedthrough and sealed within the elbows 52, 48, 42 and 40, and the firstand second vertical and horizontal outer conduits 50, 38 and 44 of theouter conduit assembly 37, and is connected to a steam return conduit 68connected to the boiler 60. The preheater 12 is adapted to receivemolasses in the space between an inner and outer periphery of the outerand inner conduit assemblies 37 and 65 to heat molasses passingtherethrough to about 140° F. Because a majority of the length of thepreheater 12 is preferably buried beneath the ground surface 46 andinsulated by the surrounding ground, the heating efficiency thereof isenhanced. A pump 70 is connected on one side thereof to the mainmolasses supply conduit 54 and on the other side to a supply conduit 72to direct molasses to the initial heater-cooker and aerator 14.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the initial heater-cooker and aerator 14according to the present invention comprises a stainless steel tank orreceptacle 74 typically approximately two feet wide by ten feet long andthree feet deep. The tank 74 comprises front and rear side walls 76 and78 respectively connected together by left and right end walls 80 and 82respectively, and a bottom wall 84. The tank is divided into a largecapacity first section 86, and a smaller capacity second section 88 by acenter partition 90. A molasses inlet opening 92 is provided in thefirst section 86 intermediate the right end wall 82, the inlet opening92 being connected to the conduit 72. The center partition 90 extendsfrom the right hand end wall 82 to a point spaced from the left hand endwall 80 to form a passage or outlet opening 94 from the first section 86and an inlet to the second section 88. As shown in FIG. 4, the secondsection 88 of the tank 74 is provided with a molasses outlet opening 96positioned in the lower right hand end of the end wall 82. Molassesheated by the preheater 12 to a temperature of about 140° F. to a lessviscous condition is pumped through the conduit 72 and through the inletopening 92 to flow through the first section 86 to the passage 94between the first and second tank sections 86, 88 to the molasses outlet96 as propelled by the pump 70. During this flow the molasses in thetank 74 is pumped to maintain the depth thereof at about eight toeighteen inches and is heated from an inlet temperature of about 140° F.to an outlet temperature of about 240° F. to cook the molasses to driveoff by evaporation more than one-half of the water content thereof.

To agitate and aerate the molasses being cooked in the tank 74 while itis still in a relatively thick, viscous state, an air injection tubeassembly 98, 100 is provided in the first and second tank sections 86and 88. The air injection tube assembly 98 comprises serpentine conduits102 and 104 positioned in the lower portions of the first and secondtank sections 86 and 88, respectively, which are supported in the leftand right end walls 80 and 82 immediately above the bottom wall 84 andis connected by a conduit 106 to any conventional source of ambient airunder pressure such as an air blower or impellar 108 adapted to deliverapproximately 25 to 50 cubic feet per minute to the tank 74. Theserpentine conduits 102 and 104 each comprise a series of back and forthextending sections 110 and 112 connected at angular junctions or apexes114. Of particular significance to one aspect of the present inventionis the provision on the underside face of each apex 114 of an airinjecting nozzle 116 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as totalling nine in numberfor each serpentine conduit 102 and 104 for directing ambient airdownwardly towards the bottom wall 84, which air bubbles upwardly toagitate the mo1asses in the tank 74 to reduce hot spots therein and tobreak the surface tension of the molasses to aid in ejection of thewater-content thereof to atmosphere. It has been found that without suchmeans to reduce or break the surface tension of the molasses, steamtends to well-up beneath the surface thereby inducing undesirableexpansion and foaming and retarding the removal of the water contentthereof. If not otherwise corrected, such conditions would cause a lessdense, less satisfactory final product.

To heat and cook the molasses in the tank 74, a source of heat exchangefluid of any conventional type, such as the steam generator assembly 60,is provided, as schematically indicated in FIG. 1 to direct a heatexchange medium such as steam to heat the molasses content of the tank74 from about 140° F. to about 240° F. The steam generator 60 isconnected by a conduit 118 to a heat exchanger assembly 120 positionedadjacent the bottom of the first tank section 86 spaced above theserpentine conduit 102. The heat exchange assembly 120 is showncomprising four longitudinal extending conduit runs 122, 124, 126 and128 connected together by three lateral end runs 130, 132, 134, the heatexchanger assembly 120 being supported on the left and right end walls80 and 82 of the tank 74 at a height extending upwardly from about twoinches from the tank bottom 84. The first conduit run 122 is connectedby the conduit 118 to the steam generator assembly 60 and the lastconduit run 128 returns steam through a return conduit 136 to the steamgenerator assembly 60. A single run heat exchanger assembly 138 isprovided for the second tank section 88 which is similar in function,position, and support to the heat exchanger assembly 120 but isrelatively much larger in diameter. The heat exchanger assembly 138comprises a longitudinally extending, single heat exchanger run orconduit 140 positioned in the second secton 88 of the tank 74 andconnected to the steam inlet conduit 118 and a second return conduit 142to the steam generator assembly 60. It is important that the peripheryof the single large diameter conduit 140 extends to within about 1/4 to1/2 inch of the adjacent walls 76 and 90, substantially filling thewidth of the second section 88. It has been found that this arrangementwherein the heat exchanger conduit 140 is closely adjacent to the walls76 and 90 substantially increases the heat transferred to the molassesflowing thereabout. Molasses introduced into the inlet 92 of the initialheater-cooker and aerator 14 is pumped by the pump 70 at a ratetypically about 3 gallons per minute to maintain the depth of suchmolasses in the first and second tank sections 86 and 88 of the tank 74at a depth of from about eight to eighteen inches. Such molasses flowsabout and along the two heat exchanger assemblies 120 and 138 to becooked thereby removing about half of the water content thereof. Dwelltime of molasses in the initial heater cooker-aerator 14 is about 20 to30 minutes. Air is evenly injected throughout the molasses flow frombelow the level of heat exchanger assemblies 120 and 138 through thenozzles 116 in a downwardly direction to rise and bubble through themolasses and the surface thereof to thereby break the surface tensionthereof. It has been found that by the injection of air in the mannerdisclosed, the molasses is not only agitated to aid in uniformly heatingthe same and thereby avoid hot spots therein but also that injected airrising to the surface of the molasses breaks the surface tensionthereof, whereby evaporation and reduction of water content issubstantially enhanced and accelerated, undesirable expansion andfoaming is avoided, and a denser final product is achieved.

From the initial cooker-aerator 14 molasses is pumped upwardly at about3 GPM by a liquid pump 144 through conduits 146 and 148 shown in FIGS. 1and 1A to the final heater-cooker 16 of a tube and shell type shown ismore detail in FIG. 5. It should be noted, as shown in FIG. 1A that thefinal heater-cooker 16 is positioned in the plant or building 13 in anupwardly inclined orientation and at an elevated position so thatmolasses pumped through the cooker 16 will thereafter flow by gravity tothe remainder of the processing apparatus. The final cooker 16 comprisesan upwardly inclined, cylindrical cooking housing or tube 150 having ancylindrical inner periphery 151 and is typically approximately teninches in diameter and eighteen feet long. The longitudinal left andright ends of the tube 150 are closed by circular end plates 152 and 154and a shaft 156 of a paddlewheel assembly 158 is rotatably mounted inthe end plates 152 and 154 and driven by a external electric drive motor160 for agitating the molasses pumped through the final cooker 16 by thepump 144. The left end plate 152 of the tube 150 is provided with amolasses inlet opening 162 connected to the conduit 148 for delivery ofliquid molasses from the initial heater-cooker-aerator 14. The left endplate 152 is further provided with an air inlet opening 164 for purposesthat will be subsequently discussed.

The paddlewheel assembly 158 further includes a plurality of circulardisks 166 fixedly mounted, as by keys not shown, in spaced relationalong the shaft 156. About fifteen disks 166 are provided. As shown inFIG. 5A, each disk 166 is provided with a slot 170 cut in the outerperiphery 172 thereof, the slot 170 extending radially inwardly toward acircular opening 174 receiving the shaft 156. The fifteen disks arefixed on the shaft 156 so that the fifteen slots 170 thereof areangularly staggered about the periphery of the shaft 156 to make themolasses flow path through the tube 150 unevenly sinusoidal. Each slot170 is defined by a pair of radially extending forward and rearward diskwalls 176 and 178. To form the disk 166, and as best shown in FIG. 5B, acircular, planar disk blank is radially cut to provide the slot 170 andis twisted out of a planar or straight condition so that each of theforward and rearward walls 176, 178 are sprung away from each other sothat when installed on the shaft 150 the outer end of the forward wall176 is nearer the right hand end of the final heater-cooker 16 than isthe outer end of the rearward wall 178 to thereby enlarge the clearancebetween the walls 176 and 178. This is important because molasses isconveyed through the enlarged slots 170 and the final heater-cooker 16by pumping thereof by the pump 144 pumping against the weight of themolasses in the upwardly inclined tube 150, as shown in FIG. 1A. Eachadjacent pair of disks 166 along with adjacent portions of the innerperiphery of the housing 150 define a discrete heating and mixingchamber separated from adjacent chambers by disks 166 and connected bythe slots 170. Positioned between each adjacent pair of disks 166 andpivotally mounted on the outer periphery thereof is a longitudinalextending scraper-mixing blade assembly 180. Ihe blade assembly 180comprises a rectangular blade 182 having a pair of offset, pivot pins184 on the longitudinal ends of the blade 182, the pins 184 being offsetto be closer to one flat longitudinal side 186 of the blade 182. Theflat side 186 is adapted to fo11ow the contour of the inner periphery151 of the tube 150 to remove or scrape off any molasses adhering to theperiphery 151. The pins 184 extend through aligned bores or holes 188 inan adjacent pair of disks 166. Four such holes 188 are spaced about theperiphery of each disk 166 to permit angularly staggering the bladeassemblies 180 of the fifteen disks 166 about the periphery of the shaft156. Each pin 184 further includes a transverse bore 190 adjacent thefree end thereof to receive a cotter pin 192, or the like, tolongitudinally fix the blade assembly 180 relative to the disk 166. Oneblade assembly 180 is mounted in each adjacent pair of disks 166 so thatthe blade assemblies are staggered about the periphery of the shaft 156to equalize the rotational load about the shaft 156. On rotation of theshaft 156, the blade assemblies 180 are rotated about the innerperiphery 151 of the housing 150 and are free to pivot relative to thedisks 166 so that the radially outward longitudinal side 186 of theblade assembly 180 scrapes against the inner periphery 151 of thehousing 150 to thereby remove any molasses adhering to the innerperiphery 151. Further, each blade assembly 180 functions as a mixingblade to mix the molasses in the chamber formed by the adjacent pair ofdisks 166.

To heat the final heater-cooker 16 and the molasses therein, as bestseen in FIG. 5, a pair of longitudinally spaced annular shell assemblies194, 196 each having left and right annular end closures 198, 200 andsteam inlet and outlet openings 202 and 204 are provided for directingand returning a heat exchanger or transfer medium, such as steam throughinlet and return steam conduits 206 and 208 from the steam generatorassembly 60 about the periphery of the cooking tube 150 for heating andcooking molasses therein. An air conduit 210 for directing ambient airfrom an ambient air blower 212 (FIG. 1) to the air inlet opening (FIG.5) is provided to assist in removal of moisture resulting fromevaporation of the water content of the molasses being cooked through apair of longitudinally spaced vents 214 and 216 positioned intermediatethe length and at the right end of the cooker tube 150. The temperatureof the molasses is raised from an inlet temperature of about 240° F. toan outlet temperature of about 260° F. to 285° F. Dwell time in thefinal cooker 16 is about 10 to 15 minutes. Water content of the molassesbeing cooked in the final cooker is reduced to preferably less than 5%of the molasses by evaporation and the molasses is pumped through thecooking tube 150 and the paddlewheel assembly 158 to a molasses outlet218 in the lower periphery of the lower right hand end of the cookertube 150 for directing the fully cooked molasses to a conduit 220 tofall by gravity to the molasses flail cooler and de-aerator 18.

The flail cooler and de-aerator assembly 18, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,comprises a downwardly inclined, steel flail housing, tube or receptacle222 preferably ellipical or oval in cross-section, the major and minoraxes 224 and 226 of the ellipse being typically approximately 26 inchesand 16 inches, respectively. The tube is typica11y about 6 feet inlength. The right and left longitudinal ends of the flail tube 222 areclosed by right and left end plates 228 and 230 and the tube 222 isprovided with molasses inlet and outlet openings 232 and 234. Because ofthe downwardly inclined orientation of the flail tube 222, the molassesoutlet 234 is below the molasses inlet 232 so that gravity aids inmovement of molasses through the device. A flail shaft assembly 236 isrotatably mounted in the right and left end plates 228 and 230 in anoffset manner along the major axis 224 of the flail tube ellipse byabout five inches relative to the central longitudinal axis 238 of theflail tube 222. The flail shaft assembly 236 comprises a longitudinalextending flail shaft 240 the right end of which is drivingly connectedto an external electric drive motor 242 to rotate the same at about 1100RPM. A plurality of tee-shaped beater or flail bars 244 are fixed atright angles in spaced relation along approximately the upper two-thirdsof the length of the flail shaft 240 in perpendicular relationshipthereto. Each beater bar 244 comprises a radially extending member 246the inner end of which is fixed to the shaft 240 and the outer end ofwhich is fixed, at a right angle, to a horizontally extending member 248extending longitudinally of the flail shaft 240. The diameter of theflail shaft assembly 236 from the outboard edge of a horizontal member248 of the beater bar 244 to an outboard edge of an oppositely disposedbeater bar 244 is approximately 16 inches. With reference to FIG. 7, itis thus seen that substantial moon-shaped space 250 is present withinthe ellipical flail tube 222 beyond the rotational circle of the beaterbars 244 of the flail shaft assembly 236 to facilitate movement of morecooling air therethrough than would be available in a cylindrical tubedimensioned to receive the flail shaft assembly 236. Molasses in theflail tube 222 is picked up by the horizontal members 248 from thebottom periphery of the flail tube 222 and thrown through the space 250toward the upper periphery of the tube 222 to de-aerate the molasses. Torapidly cool the molasses being thrown about within the flail tube 222the right end plate 228 of the flail tube 222 is provided with a coldair inlet 252 for directing cold air from a conduit 254 (FIG. 1) and acold air compressor blower 256 which typically provides about 400 cubicfeet per minute of cold air through the interior of the flail tube 222to be vented to atmosphere at an air outlet opening and vent 257 and258. Molasses in liquid form is directed through the molasses inlet 232of the flail tube 222 to be tossed, beaten, stretched and thrown aboutby the beater bars 244 within the moon-shaped space 250 and rapidlycooled by the flow of cold air directed from the cold air blower 256. Asmolasses is tumbled through the flail tube 222, it is de-aerated and thetemperature thereof is lowered from an inlet temperature of about 285°F. to an outlet temperature of about 180° F. to 200° F., from whence itis directed through the outlet 234 and a conduit 260 to fall by gravityto the mixer-auger 20. Dwell time for molasses in the flail cooler andde-aerator assembly 18 is approximately twenty to thirty seconds.

The mixer-auger 20, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, comprises an upwardlyinclined mixer-auger cylindrical housing or tube 262 having right andleft end plates 264 and 266 closing the longitudinal ends thereof. Thehousing 262 further includes a pair of inlet openings 268 and 270, foradmitting the molasses from the conduit 260 from the flail-cooler andde-aerator 18 and for receiving other feed supplement ingredients suchas plant protein, roughage, fat, urea, vitamins, salt, other mineralsand/or pharmaceuticals or the like, delivered by a conduit 272 and aconventional screw or auger conveyor 274 and metered from a conventionalsupplement hopper or storage bin 21 (FIGS. 1 and 1A). The housing 262further includes an outlet opening 276 for directing the materials mixedby the mixer auger 20 for further processing. The housing 262 isupwardly inclined so that the housing 286 adjacent the outlet opening276 is elevated relative to the housing adjacent the inlet openings 268and 270. Rotatably mounted in the end plates 264 and 266 of the housing262 is an auger assembly 278 including an auger shaft 280 which isrotatably drived by an electric driven motor 281. As best seen in FIG.9, positioned in fixed spaced relation about the periphery of the augershaft 280 by a plurality of spokes 282 is an abbreviated or ribbon screwconveyor 284 comprising a helically shaped ribbon 286 of variable pitchcoiled about a central cylindrical channel or space 290 between thecoils of the ribbon 286. By pitch is meant the longitudinal distance, asalong the shaft 280, between the longitudinal ends of the helical ribbon286 defining one complete ribbon revolution about the periphery of theshaft 280. For each revolution of the shaft 280, material being conveyedis advanced by the ribbon 286 a discrete distance along the longitudinalaxis of the shaft 280. At the right end of the shaft 280, as suggestedin FIG. 8, one revolution of the shaft 280 results in forward movementof the material a distance approximately equal to the diameter of thehelical ribbon 286. However, adjacent the left end of the shaft 280, asshown in FIG. 8, one revolution of the shaft 280 results in forwardmovement of the material a distance approximately equal to one-fourth ofthe diameter of the helical ribbon 286. The pitch of the helical ribbon286 is evenly graduated from right to left along the length thereof.Consequently, the material at the right end of the shaft 280 tends tomove more quickly than the material near the left end of the shaft 280and therefore the material on the right tends to urge forwardly, thematerial of the left. It should be understood that, as the materialentering the housing 262 adjacent the right end of the shaft 280 isconveyed against the upward incline of the housing 262, a portion of thematerial being moved adjacent the left of the shaft 280 tends to fallbackwardly in the central channel 290 to be picked-up again by theribbon 286 and be advanced with material from the right. By thisadvancing, falling back and advancing again action, the material becomesmore uniformly mixed. Other supplement ingredients are metered at acontrolled rate from a supplement storage hopper 21 to be uniformlymixed with in appropriate proportions with the molasses delivered to themixer-auger tube 262. The mixture of molasses combined with othersupplements is directed by gravity through an outlet opening 276 and aconduit 292 to the cooling tower 22 for further cooling thereof.

The cooling tower 22 is of any generally conventional construction andmay include a rotatable distributor 294 on the upper end thereof todisperse materials directed by the conduit 292 to an inlet in the upperend of the cooling tower 22 and about the periphery thereof to fall bygravity and to be cooled by cold air directed from a conventional coldair blower 296 to cool the mixture to about 140°-150° F. Such materialis directed through the cooling tower outlet 298 to a conventionalconveyor 24 for delivery of the mixture to a containerizing station 26.Depending upon ambient conditions, utilization of the cooling tower 22or equivalent cooling device, may or may not be necessary to reduce themixture temperature as desired. Material having a temperature of 150° F.or less is currently preferably deposited in masses of about 250 poundsin 55 gallon steel drums 299 cut in half and further transported on awheeled trolley 300 but any suitable relatively rigid container may beused in sizes of up to 500 pounds or more. After containerization themasses or blocks are allowed to cool to ambient temperature and cure andharden to a vitreous form.

While the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in thedetails of the process, or the construction and the arrangement of thecomponents or machinery therefor. For example, a composition of puremolasses or one of molasses mixed with certain other ingredients, suchas fat or other feed supplements may be directed to the initialheater-cooker-aerator 14. It is understood that the invention is not tobe limited to a specific embodiment of the apparatus set forth herein byway of exemplifying the invention but that the invention is to belimited only by the scope of the attached claims including a full rangeof equivalency to which each element or the apparatus or step of theprocess is entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a heater for heating a molasses compositionand removing at least a portion of the water content of the molasses,the heater comprising a receptacle for receiving the molassescomposition to be heated; and heater means operatively related to saidreceptacle for heating the molasses composition in the receptacle atleast a portion of the water content of the molasses; the improvementcomprising(a) air injecting means for injecting air into the molassescomposition to agitate said molasses composition during heating and toreduce the surface tension of said molasses composition; (b) saidreceptacle further including a longitudinally extending open tankthrough which the molasses composition is adapted to be moved, said opentank having an upper end open to the atmosphere and a bottom wall, saidair injection means further comprising a plurality of air outletsadjacent said bottom wall of said open tank for injecting air into themolasses composition throughout the movement thereof through said opentank, said open tank including first and second end walls connected withsaid bottom wall, a molasses composition inlet and outlet adjacent theconnection of said first end wall and said bottom wall, a longitudinallyextending tank partition fixed to said bottom wall and said first endwall between said inlet and said outlet and extending from said firstend wall of said tank to a point adjacent to but spaced from said secondend wall of said tank to divide said tank into first and second tanksections in fluid communication with each other through the spacebetween said partition and said second end wall, said heater means andsaid air injection means being operative in both said first and secondtank sections.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further includingcooler and de-aerator means connected with said heater for cooling andde-aerating the heated and air-injected molasses, said cooler andde-aerator means including a housing connected with said heater forreceiving the molasses composition to be cooled and de-aerated, agitatormeans positioned in said housing for separating portions of the molassescomposition from the remainder thereof to de-aerate the same, andcooling means for cooling said portions while separated from saidremainder.
 3. The cooler and de-aerator according to claim 2 whereinsaid receptacle comprises a closed, generally cylindrical conduit havinga longitudinal axis, said agitator means including an agitator shaftrotatably mounted in said conduit, said agitator shaft having alongitudinal axis spaced from and offset relative to said longitudinalaxis of said conduit, and a plurality of radially projecting beaterelements fixed in longitudinally spaced relation along said agitatorshaft for separating said portions from said remainder and means torotate said shaft.
 4. The cooler and de-aerator according to claim 3wherein said conduit has a molasses composition inlet adjacent onelongitudinal end of said conduit and a molasses composition outletadjacent the other longitudinal end thereof, said one longitudinal endbeing vertically elevated above said other longitudinal end.
 5. Thecooler and de-aerator according to claim 3 wherein said generallycylindrical conduit is ellipical in cross-section including having majorand minor axes, said agitator shaft being rotatably mounted in saidconduit adjacent one end of said major axis.
 6. The cooler andde-aerator according to claim 2 wherein said cooling means includesmeans for directing cold air through said conduit substantially from oneend thereof to the other.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, andfurther including auger-mixer means connected with said cooler andde-aerator means for conveying and mixing the cooled and de-aeratedmolasses, including:(a) a longitudinally extending cylindrical housinghaving at least one material inlet adjacent one longitudinal end thereofand a material outlet adjacent the other longitudinal end of saidhousing; (b) a conveyor shaft rotatably positioned in said housing andextending at least between said inlet and outlet and drive means forrotating said shaft; and (c) a helical ribbon including a plurality ofcoils fixed in spaced relation to and supported about said shaft formoving material from said inlet to said outlet, said ribbon defining acentral, longitudinally extending, cylindrical space betweentransversely opposed portions of said ribbon wherein a portion of thematerial being conveyed toward said outlet by the helical ribbon isadapted to fall into said space and backwardly toward said inlet and bereconveyed toward said outlet to aid mixing the material being conveyed.8. The auger-mixer of claim 7 wherein said housing is verticallyelevated adjacent said outlet relative to adjacent said inlet andwherein said coils of helical ribbon have a first pitch adjacent saidinlet and a second pitch adjacent said outlet, said second pitch beingsubstantially less than said first pitch.
 9. The auger-mixer of claim 8wherein said second pitch is abput one-quarter of said first pitch. 10.The auger-mixer of claim 9 wherein the pitch of said helical ribbon isevenly graduated along the length of said shaft from said first pitch tosaid second pitch.
 11. The auger-mixer of claim 10 wherein said housinginlcudes a second inlet adjacent said one end, said inlets adapted todirect molasses composition and other feed supplements, respectively,into said housing for mixing the same.
 12. Apparatus as defined in claim1, and further including second-stage heater means, comprising agenerally closed longitudinally extending, cylindrical housing, saidhousing having an inner periphery and a composition inlet and outletadjacent opposite ends of said housing, a longitudinally extending shaftrotatably mounted in said housing, drive means for rotating said shaft,heater means for heating fluid composition within said housing, aplurality of disks fixedly connected to and spaced along said shaft,each of said disks having an outer periphery extending radially toadjacent said inner periphery of said housing and having a opening insaid disk, a longitudinally extending blade pivotally mounted on andbetween adjacent pairs of said disks, adjacent pairs of disks withadjacent portions of said housing defining discrete heating chambers,said blades being staggered about the periphery of said shaft, and pumpmeans for pumping the fluid composition from said inlet, through saidopening in each of said disks, and through each of said chambers to saidoutlet while said blades agitate the fluid composition in each of saidchambers.
 13. The heater according to claim 12 wherein housing furtherincludes air inlet means adjacent one end of said housing for directingair through said housing and air vent means spaced from said air inletmeans for venting said air to the atmosphere.
 14. The heater accordingto claim 13 wherein each opening in said disks comprises a slotextending through said outer periphery of said disk, said slot extendingradially inwardly toward said shaft, and defined by a pair of radiallyextending disk walls on opposite sides of said slot, each of said diskwalls having a radially outer end adjacent said slot, the outer end ofone of said disk walls on one longitudinal side of disk being closer tothe housing outlet than the outer end of the other of said disk walls onthe other longitudinal side of said slot.
 15. The heater according toclaim 14 wherein each in said blades have a radial outer periphery, theouter periphery of each of said blades extending radially outwardly ofsaid outer periphery of the adjacent pair of said disks.
 16. The heateraccording to claim 12 wherein said housing is elevated adjacent saidoutlet relative to said housing adjacent said inlet.
 17. In a plant formixing liquid molasses with other animal feeds, the plant includingheater and air-injecting means for heating the molasses and forinjecting air therein, storage means for storing the molasses prior toheating, and first longitudinally extending conduit means connected tosaid storage means and said heater means for directing molasses fromsaid storage means to said heating means for heating the molasses;theimprovement comprising molasses pre-heater means for heating themolasses from the storage means prior to delivery to said heater means,said pre-heater means comprising second longitudinally extending conduitmeans for carrying a heat transfer medium for heating the molasses, saidsecond conduit means positioned internally of said first conduit meansfor heating the molasses in the first conduit means.
 18. In the plantaccording to claim 17 wherein said heater means is housed in a plantbuilding and said storage means is remote from said building andsupported on a ground surface, at least a portion of said first conduitmeans having said second conduit means internally thereof being buriedin the ground below said ground surface between said storage means andsaid building.
 19. In the plant according to claim 18 wherein saidstorage means comprises a liquid holding tank, said tank including aliquid outlet adjacent the lower end thereof connected to said firstconduit means and liquid outlet heater means for heating molasses to bedrawn from said tank, said liquid outlet heater means being positionedin said tank and about said tank liquid outlet for heating molassesflowing through said outlet into said first conduit means.
 20. Anapparatus for making molasses-based animal feed supplement massescomprised of molasses and other animal feed supplements, said apparatuscomprising:molasses storage means for storing liquid molasses, saidstorage means including a molasses outlet; preheater means for heatingthe molasses, said preheater means comprising an elongated first conduitin fluid communication with and for conveying molasses from saidmolasses storage means outlet, said preheater means further including aelongated second conduit for conveying a heat transfer medium, saidsecond conduit extending longitudinally and internally of said firstconduit, and means for heating said heat transfer medium in fluidcommunication with said second conduit; a molasses heater-aerator forfurther heating and aerating molasses, said heater-aerator including amolasses receptacle having a molasses inlet and outlet, said molassesinlet being in fluid communication with said first conduit, saidheater-aerator further including heater means for heating molasses insaid molasses receptacle and aerator means for injecting air into themolasses while the molasses is being heat in said receptacle; a secondmolasses heater for further heating the molasses, said second heatercomprising a housing having a molasses inlet and outlet, said molassesinlet in said housing in fluid communication with said molasses outletof said receptacle of said heater-aerator, said second heater furthercomprising second heating means for heating molasses in said housing,agitating means for agitating molasses being heated in said housing, aircirculating means for circulating air through said housing, and drivemeans for driving said agitating means; molasses pump means for pumpingmolasses from said first conduit of said preheater, through saidheater-aerator and through said second heater to said outlet of saidhousing; a molasses cooler and de-aerator for cooling and de-aeratingthe molasses, said cooler and de-aerator including a cooler housing,said cooler housing having a molasses inlet and outlet, said molassesinlet of said cooler housing in fluid communication with said molassesoutlet of said second heater housing, said cooler and de-aerator furtherincluding second agitating means positioned in said cooled housing forseparating portions of the molasses in said cooler housing from theremainder of the molasses in said cooler housing to de-aerate themolasses cooling means to cool said portions while separated from saidremainder, drive means for driving said second agitating means; a mixerfor mixing molasses with other feed supplements, said mixer including amixer housing having a first inlet in fluid communication with saidcooler housing outlet, a second inlet for directing other feedsupplements to said mixer housing, and a mixture outlet for egress ofmolasses mixed with the other feed supplements, said mixer furtherincluding a screw-type auger rotatably positioned in said mixer housing,said screw-type auger including a helical ribbon of variable pitch formixing the molasses and the other feed supplements and conveying themixture from said mixer housing inlets to said mixer housing outlet,drive means for rotating said screw-type auger; and conveying means forconveying said mixture from said mixer housing outlet to a mixturecontainerizing station for placing the mixture in containers and formingthe masses of molasses-based animal feed supplements.
 21. The apparatusfor making molasses-based animal feed supplement masses of claim 20wherein:the said molasses heater-aerator comprises a longitudinallyextending open tank through which the molasses composition is adapted tobe moved, said open tank having an upper end open to the atmosphere anda bottom wall, said aerator means further comprising a plurality of airoutlets adjacent said bottom wall of said open tank for injecting airinto the molasses composition throughout the movement thereof throughsaid open tank; the second molasses heater agitating means comprises alongitudinally extending shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, aplurality of discs fixedly connected to and spaced along said shaft,each of said discs having an outer periphery extending radially toadjacent said inner periphery of said housing and having an opening insaid disk, a longitudinally extending blade pivotally mounted on andbetween adjacent pairs of said disks, said adjacent pairs of disks withadjacent portions of said housing defining discrete heating chambers;and the said cooler and de-aerator cooling means includes means fordirecting air through said cooler housing substantially from one endthereof to the other.
 22. In a heater for heating a molasses compositionand removing at least a portion of the water content of the molasses,the heater comprising a receptacle for receiving molasses to be heated,said receptacle including longitudinally extending, transversely spaced,opposed walls for channeling the flow of the molasses therethrough, anda heater means including heat transfer medium conduit means positionedin said receptacle between said opposed walls; the improvement:(a)wherein said heater transfer medium conduit means includes a singleconduit having a diameter substantially filling the transverse distancebetweeen said opposed walls; (b) and further including air injectionmeans for injecting air into the molasses while it is being heated bysaid heater; (c) said receptacle including first and secondlongitudinally extending receptacle sections in fluid communication witheach other, each of said sections having longitudinally extending,transversely spaced, opposed walls, said heat transfer medium conduitmeans further comprising a plurality of connected conduits positioned insaid first receptacle section and said single conduit being positionedin said second receptacle section and substantially filling the spacebetween the opposed walls thereof.
 23. In the heater according to claim22, wherein said first and second receptacle sections are inlongitudinally extending side-by-side relation.
 24. In the heateraccording to claim 22, wherein said receptacle further includes molassescomposition inlet means in said first receptable section and molassescomposition outlet means in said second receptacle section.